What is cynophobia?

What is cynophobia?

Cynophobia is an extreme fear of dogs. The name of this phobia comes from “cyno,” the Greek word for dog. Children and adults with this disorder go out of their way to avoid dogs. They may have severe anxiety or a full panic attack when hearing a dog bark, watching a movie about a dog or going to a place where a dog might be.

In severe cases, people with this disorder avoid friends or stay indoors because they worry about meeting a dog. Several types of therapy can help people with this phobia.